On November 23, 2023, the Quebec Commission on Access to Information (CAI) announced that it had laid its Strategic Plan for 2023-2027 before the National Assembly of Quebec.

What challenges did the CAI highlight for the coming years?

The plan notes that the CAI will face two main challenges in the coming years. Firstly, encouraging and monitoring the compliance of organizations with new obligations regarding the protection of personal information in line with the Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information (Law 25). On this point, the plan confirms that the CAI intends to support citizens and organizations in understanding their rights, obligations, and recourses. Secondly, the plan details that the CAI will continue to reduce its processing times while simplifying access to its services. 

What are the CAI's strategic priorities?

The plan contains three strategic priorities on which the CAI will focus during 2023-2027, namely:

• compliance with obligations for access to documents and protection of personal information; 
• providing optimal service to citizens; and
• deploying strategies to attract and retain the staff necessary to carry out its mission.

Furthermore, the plan confirms that the CAI will carry out an overhaul of its website, and continue to provide informative content as well as guidance documents to support organizations and citizens.

You can read the press release here and the plan here, both only available in French.